Ion Generation for Water Treatment

Ion generation is a water filtration technique through which contaminated water is treated to remove the impurities. The equipment used for this purpose can be classified into two types--softeners that are used to treat hard water and prevent accumulation of unwanted impurities in boilers and industrial pipes, and deionizers in which hydroxyl and oxygen groups replace mineral content.

Ion Generation

• An ion is an electrically charged atom. It assumes a positive charge when it gives up an electron. It is negatively charged when it takes up an electron. When the water flows past the closely placed electrodes, an electric current is created, causing the outer atoms of the electrodes become positively charged due to electron loss. These ions combine with the negatively charged cell walls of bacteria, viruses and fungi and disrupt their functioning, causing the cells to die.

Applications

• Water treatment through ion generation is carried out in various utilities such as swimming pools (as an alternative for chlorine disinfection), cooling towers, hospitals and nursing homes to prevent the growth of bacteria which mainly thrives on warm water and for drinking water purposes to prevent the formation of disinfection byproducts.

Benefits

• Ion generation has a longer residual effect and thus stays in the water for a longer period of time. Hence, it is more effective than UV treatment. Ion generation works entirely throughout the water system, even in remote end-points of the container and parts of the system where there is slow running water. It is not dependent on the temperature of water and needs very little maintenance. Ion generation methods do not inflict damage on the ion distribution system and do not corrode. As fewer chemicals are used in this procedure, the components of ion generators such as lids and pumps are less affected. Further, transport and storage problems are not encountered.

Disadvantages

• Fundamentally, the effectiveness of ion generation depends upon the pH value of water; if the pH value is 9, for example, only 10 percent of the bacteria will be removed. This method will be less useful when there is less water or when the water is stagnant, and there are dead-end points in the system.

Significance

• Though water has the capacity to cleanse itself to a smaller extent, there are many contaminants that pollute the water, break down and stay behind in the ground layer. Therefore, water treatment is essential, especially for drinking water purposes. Ion generation water treatment plays an important part in water filtration.